Sea Moya – Baltic States EP

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When I first listened to Sea Moya’s latest release, I wasn’t convinced one way or another. Instead, I was just left feeling mildly befuddled. So I listened to it again. And then again. And the more I listened to “Baltic States EP”, the more I learned to love it.

Sea Moya describes themselves as a “psychedelic beat outfit”, and it’s a pretty apt description. The first couple minutes of the EP passed me by without my noticing, entranced by the beats hitting my mind. The first couple tracks have a very ambient vibe, and would be right at home in a Casey Neistat video. The middle tracks slow the tempo even further, drawing you into the rhythm and the vibes. The end of the album actually speeds things up, a different but refreshing approach. I did find it odd that the “Prelude” is actually the fifth track of the release, but it fits with Sea Moya’s taste for breaking from convention. Overall, “Baltic States EP” improves as it progresses, with an ambient beginning and a satisfying end.

A consistent psychedelic synth provides a base for the entire EP, tying things together nicely. It has a feeling of completeness, the six songs all intertwined and related. It’s something that is so often missing from today’s music market. Often the pressure for fast-release singles is too great, and artists succumb to the sellout mentality. Sea Moya manages to remind us that music can still be connected, and full releases are worth the wait.

German act Sea Moya unveils “Baltic States EP”: great, with a complexity and maturity that often eludes psychedelic music!

The lyrics remain strange throughout the EP, but if you’re a psych rock fan it’s more of what you’ve come to expect and love. The opening song, “Nothing is Real”, features the verse, “I know these things don’t affect what’s in my mind. It’s all so wrong, but can’t touch me in the light”. It fittingly matches the title, confusing and thought provoking, but ultimately there’s no real meaning to find. The entire EP features similar lyrics, a drug trip for the mind (but without all the mushrooms).

My personal favorite track is “Bedroom”. It features Limye, a little-known alternative hip-hop artist based out of The Bronx. He brings some truly well-written verses that complement the recording nicely. Often hip-hop add-ons can drag an album down due to the unexpected change in style, but Sea Moya manage the integration well. “Bedroom” also features a more prevalent guitar portion, which I personally appreciate as an alt-rock junky. Subtle hints of jazz saxophone join the fray a minute in to add another layer of complexity. All in all, “Bedroom” is a beautifully executed combination of psychedelic rock and alternative hip-hop.

The band has successfully reminded the world that psychedelic rock is alive and thriving. I think there’s something for fans of multiple genres, and can appeal to sober listeners as well as those doped up beyond measure. “Baltic States EP” is great, with a complexity and maturity that often eludes psychedelic music – I can’t wait for more.